CTSJ 205 ‘Somebody’s Watching Me:’ Everything you wanted to know about conspiracy theories but were too afraid to ask
Whether discussing government plots, medical malfeasance, the moon landing, or the existence of
birds, conspiracy theories have been the target of many moral panics in North America over the last
century, and largely with good reason. However, conspiracy theory critics have often ignored
imbricating socio-historical factors that contribute to belief in conspiracy theories, thereby
homogenizing them and the power structures they call attention to. This course will supply students
the critical tools to differentiate conspiracy theories that contribute to legacies of systemic
oppression from those that call attention to such oppression. The point is not to avow all conspiracy
theories, but to instead grapple with their complicated histories and the different forces they align
with and challenge. Drawing upon feminist, critical race, Indigenous, and post-structuralist theories,
this course will explore topics of historical oppression, legacies of colonial expansion, bio-medical
interventions, corporate malfeasance, and the monopolization of decision-making power to grapple
with the complex histories of conspiracy theories and what they mean for us today. Conspiracy theories work ideologically and use neoliberal globalist ideologies to traverse national borders. Examples may include "The New World Order", "The War on Christianity," and the 9-11 Tragedy. While the specific conspiracy theories covered in the course will vary, they will be examined through socio-historical contexts that cross geographic, political, and religious boundaries.